Democratic Death Wish

I heard some interesting thoughts from pollster Scott Rasmussen. He says that, despite last week's rigged healthcare "summit," opinions about Obamacare are unmoved. Most Democrats are in favor, and most Republicans and independents are opposed. Most seniors, who use the healthcare system the most, are also opposed.

In addition, only 21 percent of Americans polled believe that our elected representatives are ruling by the consent of the governed, and the Democrats' death wish on healthcare seems to bear this out. (Meanwhile, 71 percent of Americans give the Democrat-controlled Congress a "poor" rating.) The Obama administration, however, is suppposed to represent the whole country, not just Democrats.

Rasmussen, attempting to explain the healthcare fixation, lists three reasons for the Democratic disconnnect: (1) Democrats are only talking to their supporters, who favor the bill, and don't really believe the polls about widespread opposition; (2) with midterms coming up, they need to fire up their base; and (3) with their current majorities in Congress, they figure it's now or never on a government takeover of healthcare.

Perhaps if they weren't so obsessed with the socialization of healthcare and other huge aspects of the economy, the Democrats might have the real prospect of maintaining or even extending their majorities. I can't believe they haven't thought of this, based on the polls and the election stunners in Virginia, New Jersey, and Massachusetts. The Democratic Party is full of smart people who nonetheless appear determined, like lemings, to walk off the political cliff. It's OK if they want to, but the rest of us prefer solid ground.

The only explanation I can think of is fanaticism. This once proud party, now run by leftwing ideologues such as Barack Obama, is ready to commit political and economic harakari in pursuit of a leftwing utopia that no one else sees or wants. The question is not whether Republicans have no ideas on healthcare (the "summit" proved for all to see that they do). But the president showed he has no intention of changing his basic approach, though he suggested he might allow a few minor Republican add-ons.

The question is not whether rational people can work with the Democrats to ameliorate the worst effects of their attempts to remake the U.S. into another sclerotic socialized Western European nanny state. The question is whether we can stop them in time.

Democratic leaders apparently want to die. The rest us should kindly pull the plug.